Sudipta Sarangi

Economics often hides in the small things we encounter frequently and in the decisions we make every day —and Sudipta Sarangi enjoys uncovering them. A professor of economics at Virginia Tech, his research spans networks, development economics and behavioural economics, with a focus on how individual decision-making interacts with social and institutional structures. Over the years, he has consulted with organizations like the World Bank and the Food and Agriculture Organization, has been a member of several journal editorial boards and served as a jury member for the Infosys Prize in 2024 and 2025. He has also been a fellow of the French Institutes for Advanced Studies. He grew up in the city of Rourkela in India, which he still loves to visit. As a student, he lived in Delhi before moving to the United States for his doctoral studies. Later, he spent time in Washington, D.C., working as a programme director at the National Science Foundation. Currently, he lives in Blacksburg, a small town tucked into the mountains of Southwest Virginia, with his wife, daughter and their dog, Duffly. When he isn’t teaching or writing, he enjoys music, books and inventing wonderfully silly games with his daughter. Some of his favorite places in the world include Berlin in the summer, Paris in every season and Istanbul, especially for its stunning views and unforgettable food.